Dear Lane Bryant, it’s over. It’s not me, it’s you.

I’ve noticed myself going to Lane Bryant less and less often for clothing. I don’t need to enumerate the problems with Lane Bryant’s styles, fabric choices, pricing, etc. But I at least still went there for bras, because I liked their periodic bra sales and I know exactly what size I am in Cacique, which makes bra shopping much easier. So I’m on the mailing list and I’ve been thinking about taking myself off of it, but I left myself on because of the alerts to the lingerie sales.

But this morning? I wake up to the following email subject from Lane Bryant: Tighten Your Tummy Instantly + Get Free Shipping.

I get enough body hate from other places; I don’t need it from LB too. So it’s over. No more of my money is going to support their overpriced, polyester-loving, ugly-pattern, body-hating business anymore.

13 Comments

Yeah, it’s been over between me and Lane Bryant ever since they ended their catalog that carried sizes above 3X. I don’t have anything against smaller fats being able to find clothes, but it’s hard enough for those of us who wear sizes above a 3X to find clothing to fit. Lane Bryant used to carry those sizes, but not anymore. And since they went to Cacique for bras, I can’t even find a bra there anymore (they don’t carry H cups, let alone anything above a 46 band). So, fuck you Lane Bryant, you want to be able to say you’re serving fat women, but you’re picky about which fat women you serve. I don’t think so. You do have items I could buy, but if I’m not good enough to wear your tops, slacks, sweaters, dresses, lingerie, etc, then I’m not going to buy anything from you.

Yeah, it’s been over between me and Lane Bryant ever since they ended their catalog that carried sizes above 3X.

WHAT.

I somehow missed that, probably because I’m one of those “medium fats” who only ever needs 3X occasionally when something fits small. If I had noticed it, I would have said adieu to them long ago. That kind of thing really pisses me right off. Blah. >:(

Yes! I saw that this morning as well and thought, “Really, LB?! Really?! UGH!” I’ve been done with them and have been looking for a reliable bra supplier. When you have big ones, you feel like you’re searching for something illegal or something.

For bras, what do people think of the choices at Just My Size? There’s at least one that goes up to an M cup, or up to 58J if you’re looking for a long band size. Are these unsatisfactory for some reason? Price? Bad fit? Insufficient choices?

The problem with the bras at JMS is that the ones that come in the larger sizes tend to give me the uniboob look with not much support, no separation, and 4 or more hooks in the back which are impossible for me to fasten with one hand being numb (it’s all I can do to fasten 3 hooks in the back, and front hook bras give no separation at all when you need as large a size as I do). I’ve tried almost every style of the Glamorise bras and I absolutely hate that padded sling thing they put inside the cups that’s supposed to be additional support. It doesn’t support, it rolls up, cuts into my boobs, and is generally uncomfortable. I end up cutting it out of every bra I’ve ever bought that has it (that I keep, that is, I usually end up sending them back because they don’t really fit all that well, for one reason or another).
Goddess quit making the bra I really liked, and when they quit making it altogether, they also quit making bras in any size over a 50H. I emailed one place in Blaine, MN that does bra fittings by appointment only, looking for a bra similar to the Goddess one (I sent them a picture of it and the catalog number of it). The owner wrote back to say that she had a similar bra in a 50H (I need a 52H) but if I added an extender, it would work. No, it wouldn’t work, the cup in a 50H is smaller than the cup in a 52H and adding an extender will make the band fit but it won’t make the cups any bigger. Needless to say, I didn’t make an appointment with her, I refuse to pay $25 for a bra fitting if that’s the best she can do for me, on top of $50 or $60 for one bra.
I have looked all over the internet for bras in my size, and ordered more bras than I care to count. I’ve spent more money having them shipped to me, only to have to turn around and spend more money to ship the damned things back when they don’t fit because sizing isn’t uniform across brands, let alone across styles within a brand. If it weren’t for the fact that it’s uncomfortable to go without a bra, I’d let the girls flop, bounce, and jiggle and say to hell with wearing a bra, just to avoid the hassle of trying to find one that fits (mainly because every time I find one that fits, is comfortable, and I can afford, the company discontinues it and the search begins anew).

Has anyone gotten a rash on their breasts/underarms/back from wearing a Lane Bryant bra? I have had this horrific itchy rash for a few months and have tried different creams. Myy doctor thinks it might be my bra. Im at a loss….

I’ve also experienced extreme itching from their Balconnet molded cup bras. I bought one the beginning of summer and liked it so much I bought 3 more. The itching began about a month later. I washed the bras before wearing them and quite few times since then but it hasn’t helped. I Googled itching and Lane Bryant bras and only found a few results of others experiencing the same problem. I did however find quite a lot of information regarding the class action lawsuit against Victoria’s Secret over the formaldehyde in their bras causing rashes and sores. I’m not sure it that could also be the problem with the LB bras. I have emailed them and said I would like to return the bras. Waiting for a reply.

The same thing happened to me with their bras! Very itchy and sore afterwards. Even when I take them off at night I’m itching throughout the night! It’s terrible because I happen to like the fitting of their bras but it’s very irritable!